Imagine practicing yoga surrounded by the delicate beauty of spring—wildflowers nodding gently in the breeze, the scent of fresh herbs and tea leaves in the air. This is the magic of the Tea House, where nature and mindfulness intertwine to create a space for deep connection. We invite you to embrace the season’s rising energy in our April yoga series.
Meditation is not a linear journey. It’s not about achieving a specific state or reaching a final destination. Instead, it’s a variable practice that shifts and evolves. This fluidity makes meditation an opportunity for exploration rather than a pursuit of perfection. It invites us to let go of binary perspectives such as good or bad, right or wrong, failure or success.
Do you feel like meditation just isn’t for you? You’re not alone. Meditation is often seen as a gateway to calm, clarity, and balance. But the truth is, sitting in silence can feel anything but peaceful. It’s important to understand that meditation isn’t about achieving peacefulness. It’s about learning to focus on a single thought, noticing distractions, and gently guiding your attention back.
As the calendar turns and the new year approaches, it’s easy to get swept up in the tide of resolutions and the pressure to “start fresh.” We draft lists of goals and set rigid expectations, believing that January 1st marks the start of a perfect, linear path toward self-improvement. But what if we approached the new year differently? What if, instead of rigid resolutions, we embraced curiosity, intention, and a willingness to ease into this next chapter with grace?
The sacrum, often overlooked, plays a vital role in both spinal health and overall movement. It's not just a single bone but a fusion of five vertebrae that occurs as we age, usually completing the process in our 20s. Despite this fusion, the sacrum is part of a dynamic system that requires awareness and movement to stay healthy.
Dogwood Studio is continuing the theme for vagus nerve toning with new workshops and weekly On Demand classes! For a reminder of why vagus nerve toning yoga is beneficial, check out our blog here.
Why Vagus Nerve Yoga?
Your body needs a fine-tuned balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems to maintain a healthy body and mind. The sympathetic nervous system constricts blood vessels and increases heart rate, while the parasympathetic nervous system dilates blood vessels and lowers heart rate. The sympathetic nervous system is stimulated in times of stress and is the cause of the “fight-or-flight” response. The vagus nerve is the primary pathway for the parasympathetic nervous system, which can be thought of as a “rest and digest” response.
Headaches are a common source of frustration, disability, and loss of productivity. Migraines are the third most prevalent disorder and the seventh highest cause of disability according to this source. A randomized study published in the American Academy of Neurology showed that yoga is helpful in reducing the frequency and intensity of migraines.
